Collapsible crate



F. P. BUSH, F. G. S'ERR AND H. L. POWELL. COLLAPSIBLE CRATE. APPLICATION FJLED NOV. 1. 1919. 7 1,380,349, PatentedJune 7, 1921.

-z SHEETSSHEET 1'.

.. I I I v 6 3 Arm/Mr F. P. BUSH, F. G SERR'AND H; L. POWELL.

'COLL APS-I BLE CRATE. APPLIcAT'i'OMmED NOV. 1. 1919.

Patented June 7, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 IIVI/EIVTOR m; WM

ATTORNEY UNITE. STATS PATENT QFFICE.

FRANK P. BUSH, FRANCIS G. SEER, AND I-IOVJABD L. POWELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

ASSIGNORS T0 NATIONAL BISCUIT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .A. CORPORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June '7, 1921.

Application filed November 1, 1919. Serial No. 335,018.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK P. Busrr, FRANCIS G. SERR, and HOWARD L. POWELL, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Madison avenue and 29th streets, 802 West 181st street, and 28 St. Nicholas Place, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Crates, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in collapsible crates which are adapted for carrying cartons or boxes of biscuits or simi lar goods, the crates being collapsed or knocked down for return shipment.

The object of our invention is to provide a device of this character which is simple and economical to manufacture and is at the same time strong and durable and easily adjusted into its open and collapsed positions. The structure is of the character in which the various members are pivoted or otherwise secured together, so that no parts of the same may ever get misplaced.

The structure comprises top and bottom frames, preferably formed of wooden strips, and in skeleton form. Side members are provided which differ in character from each other. One of the same consists of a rigid member, preferably a wooden board of suitable dimensions which is pivoted at one edge, as by suitable links pivoted at each end, to either the top or bottom frame. This side member carries at its opposite edge suitable clasps or securing devices which may be fastened to co-acting devices on the other one of the top and bottom frames, when the crate is in its open or extended position.

The other side frame of the crate consists of a number of longitudinal members, preferably wooden strips, which are secured together and to the adjacent portions of the top and bottom frames, preferably by means of links which are pivoted at their opposite ends to the respective members. With this construction the two side frames are arranged to swing inwardly and lie between the top and bottom frames when the crate is collapsed, the crate being secured in collapsed position by suitable devices on the top and bottom frames. Preferably the top and bottom frames include vertically-arranged side members and end members within which the cartons or other objects carried are partly inclosed, so that no separate frames are necessary at the ends of the crate. l/Vhen the crate is in open position, a sufficient rigidity is imparted to the same by the co-action of the rigid side frame and its clasp devices with the top and bottom frames, the opposite side frame being maintained in extended position by the engagement of the cartons or boxes within the crate with the various portions thereof.

In order that a clearer understanding of our invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application and illustrating one embodiment of our invention. In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the crate in open or extended position, certain partsbeing broken away and other parts being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a vertlcal cross section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, certain parts being shown broken away and in elevation; Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the crate; Fig. 4 represents a side elevation corresponding to that shown in Fig. 1 but with the crate in collapsed position; Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line 55 of Fig. 4, certain parts being shown broken away and in elevation; and Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the crate comprises top and bottom frames 1 and 2 which are substantially the same in their general structure. The top frame 1 comprises vertically-arranged side members 3, 3, and vertically-arranged end members 4, 4, suitably'secured together. These members are Preferably wooden strips of suitable dimensions arranged with the ends of the end members 4, 4, contacting against the inner surfaces of the side members 3, 3, the side members 3, 3, being securedto the end members 4, 4, as by means of nails 5.

The side members 3, 3, are arranged to extend somewhat above the upper edge of the end members 4, 4. Horizontally-arranged top members 6, 6, are secured on the upper surfaces of end members 4, 4, as by means of nails 7, with the outer edges of members 6, 6, engaging against the inner surfaces of side members 3, 3, and the upper surfaces of members 6 and 3 in alinement. A pair of intermediate hdrizontally-arranged longitudinal members 8, 8, are also secured to the upper surfaces of end members 4, 4.

The bottom frame is substantially the same as the top frame just described, being formed of vertically-arranged end members 3 and side members 4 and horizontallyarranged longitudinal members 6 and 8 corresponding respectively to members 3, 4, 6 and 8 described above.

One of the side frames of the crate comprises the rigid member 9 which be, for example, a wooden board of suitable dimensions, which is pivotally connected at its lower edge to the adjacent side member 3 of the bottom frame. This pivotal connection is preferably made by means of short metal links 10, 10, which extend within suitable slots in members 9 and 3 and are pivotally mounted on pins 11, 11, which extend across the slots referred to .in mem bers 9 and 3.

The rigid side member 9 is provided adj acent its upper edge with a pair of looking or latching devices, such as the metal strips 12, 12, which extend above the upper edge of the leaf 9 and are provided with slots 13, 13. The side members 3 of the top frame are provided with outwardly extending tongues 14 which are adapted to extend through slots 13 when the crate is in its open position. Tongues 14 may conveniently be formed by securing strips of metal 15 toand about the lower edges of side members 3 with the tongues 14 bent to extend outwardly therefrom. Tongues 14 may be pro vided with vertical openings therethrough, through which sealing wires 16 may be extended and sealed when the crate is in open position, containing a number of cartons or boxes 17, as is shown in Fig. 1.

The opposite side frame of the crate is made up of a number of longitudinal members, such as the wooden strips 18, 18, which are pivotally secured together and to the adjacent side members 3 and of the top and bottom frames. Members 18, 18, are preferably pivotally secured to each other and to side members 3 and 3 by means of metal links 19, 19, 19, which extend within suitable slots 20 in the adjacent edges of the members referred to, links 19 being pivoted at their opposite ends on pins 21.

The crate may be secured in collapsed position by any suitable means, but preferably by means of the tongues 22, 22, formed of spring metal and secured to the inner surfaces of the bottom frame end .members 4. The end members 4 of the top frame are provided with cutout portions in alinement with tongues 22, these cutout portions preferably being reinforced with metal strips 23. -Tongues 22 are provided with heads 24 having tapering surfaces, so that when the crate is collapsed the tongues 22 may be sprung past the inner surfaces of end members 4 so that the heads 24 of the tongues will firmly engage within, the cutout portions of members 4. The reinforcing metal strips 23 are preferably arranged to extend over the inner surfacesof members 4 to be engaged by the. heads 24 during the closing movement of the crate;

It will be noted that the end members'4, 4, extend inwardly of the crate somewhat beyond the inner edges of the side members 3 and 3, so that when the crate is collapsed the inner edges of the end members 4 and 4 will be in firm engagement with each other, as is shown in Fig. 5. When the crate is thus collapsed the members 18 of one side frame will swing inwardly like the links of a chain into the position shown in Fig. 5, and the other side frame 9 will also swing inwardly into the position shown in Fig. 5, room for this latter movement being provided by the distance which member 4 extends upwardly beyond the upper edge of member 3, as stated. When the crate is in its open position with cartons therein, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, sufficient rigidity will be given to the structure by the rigid side frame 9 which is clamped in position as stated, together with the other elements of the structure. V I

It will be noted that the side and top members 3 and 6 of the top frame and the side and bottom members 3 and 6 of the bottom frame form angular edges for the crate, affording considerable strength, resistance to crushing also being provided by the end members 4 and 4 which are secured between the side members 3, 3 and 3, 3. The provision of the angular corner or edge members 3, 6, and 3, 6, also forms abutments for the edges of the cartons contained within the crate so that no separate side frames are necessary. The crate illustrated is designed to carry six rectangular cartons, but other numbers of cartons or boxes may of course, be carried. It is, however, preferable that the dimensions of the crate should be so chosen that the desired number of cartons or boxes will fit snugly therein.

What we claim is 1. In a collapsible crate, open at the, ends, the combination of skeleton top and bottom frames, having vertically arranged side members with longitudinal top and bottom members respectively, adjacent the upper and lower portions of the same, respectively, and vertically arranged end members, extending beneath and above said longitudinal members of the top and bottom frames respectively, a rigid side member pivotally linked to a side member of the bottom frame, securing devices for securing the upper edge of said side member to the top frame when the crate is in open position, and an opposite side member comprising means pivoted to both the top and bottom frames and adapted to swing inwardly of the crate when the latter is collapsed.

2. In a collapsible crate, open at the ends, the combination of top and bottom frames having vertically-arranged side and end members forming angle frames against which the edges of cartons in the crate may abut and horizontally-arranged members, a rigid side frame at one side, links pivotally connecting the same with one of said vertically-arranged side members, means for securing the same to the opposite top or bottom frame, when the crate is in open position, and a side frame at the opposite side of the crate, comprising a plurality of longitudinal members, and links pivotally securing said members together and to the opposing side members of the top and bottom frames.

3. In a collapsible crate, open at the ends, the combination of top and bottom frames, having verticallyarranged end members adapted to engage edge to edge when the crate is collapsed and vertically-arranged side members secured thereto, together with horizontally-arranged members, a rigid side frame at one side, hinged to one of said vertically-arranged side members, clasp devices for securing the same to the opposite top or bottom frame when the crate is in open position, a side frame at the opposite side of the frame, comprising frame members pivotally connected together and to the opposing side members of the top and bottom frames, said side frames being adapted to lie within the top and bottom frames when the crate is collapsed, and means for holding the crate in collapsed position.

This specification signed and witnessed this 29th day of October 1919.

FRANKl. BUSH. FRANCIS G. SEER. HOWARD L. POWELL. Witnesses:

WM. CAULKINS, O. E. Mon. 

